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A Queen who declared herself Pharaoh, came to power in Egypt around 1473 B.C. who was named Hatshepsut, one of a few women to have ruled Egypt. To many she is called the Queen who became King, the daughter of King Thutmose 1 and Queen Ahmos Nefertari. Hatshepsut married her half brother Thutmose ll, perhaps to strengthen his claim to the throne, they had one daughter named Neferure, but thutmose 11 also had a son, Thutmose lll by one of his concubines, Lady Mutnofret.

Portraits of their daughter Neferure wearing a false beard and side locks had many scholars believing she was preparing her for a future on the thrown, but Neferure died during her childhood, so when Hatshepsuts husband became King, she used her influence in his decisions and hoped to have more power someday, and saw the opportunity when he died. The position of Pharaoh was usually passed from father to son, but Thutmose 111 being a child, she decided to prove herself to be a good leader, often wearing mens clothing and the false beard and side locks that Neferure wore in her portraits, to convince the people that she could handle a mans job.

Unlike other Pharaohs, she avoided military conquest, and focused her attention on expanding Egypt's economy, restoring Egypt's wealth by trading with Africa and Asia. Egyptian traders sailed along the coast exchanging beads, metal tools and weapons bringing home cargo ships loaded with gold, ivory, ebony, incense and myrrh. Hatshepsut used some of this wealth to build temples, one of her greatest projects was a great temple and tomb in the limestone cliffs of the Valley of the Kings, the reliefs on the walls recorded the major events of her reign.

Hatshepsut's twenty-one year reign was peaceful, but when her stepson, Thutmose 111, reached maturity, he plotted against her, over throwing Hatshepsut and her government. thutmose 111 ordered that all the reliefs, statues and all her temples be destroyed, erasing her name and omitted her name from the Kings list. It's not certain if she retired from politics, died or was murdered when Thutmose 111 became Pharaoh of Egypt, her body, nor her burial place was ever found.

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